Refrigerator



CII. 4, 1932. Q E BON|NE 1,880,735

REFRIGERATOR Filed July 17, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 '4T-Mmmm?.

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C. E. BoNlNE 1,880,735

REFRIGERATOR Filed July 17, 1929 5 sheets-sheet 4 FIG. lff- IN VEN TOR.-CizorZeSEBozzzne TTORNEYS.

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Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. BONINE, 0FMELROSE PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 JAMES H. BELL, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA nnrnronna'ron Application filed. July 17,

This invention relates to refrigerators, andl ture in the'neighborhoodof 114j F. below zero, and cannot therefore be used after the manner ofordmary ice 1n refrlgeratorsas commonly constructed without danger ofeX- cess freezing and spoliation of the articlesvor products undergoingpreservation. v

The main obj ect of my invention is to overcome the drawbacks abovepointed out through provision of a refrigerator structure wherein theinfluence ofthe solid carbon di-v oxide is moderated to such an 'extent'that a sufficiently cool even chilling temperature is maintained forpreservation of the articles being refrigerated more economically andeiiiciently than possible with the use of ordinary 4Other objects andattendant advantages of this invention will appear in the course of thedescription following of the typical em- Y bodiments shown 4in thedrawings whereof Fig. I is a planview of my improved refrigerator 1n oneform.

Fig. II is a sectional view of the structure taken as indicated by thearrows II-II in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a cross section taken as indicated by the arrows III--III inFigs. I and II.

Fig. IV is a view like Fig. III showing a modifiedconstructon of therefrigerator.

Figs. V and VI are sectional illustrations showing, more or lessdiagrammatically, further modications which dier but sli htlylirorlrithe form of my invention shown in igs.

Figs. VII and VIII are views similar to Figs. V and VI showng twoother'modifications.

Fig. IX is a cross sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows IX-IXin Fig. VIII.

Fig. X is a view corresponding to Fig. VIII illustrating an alternativeconstruction of the form of refrigerator shown in the latter figure.

1929. Vserial No. sisma.

i Fig. XI is a cross sectiontaken as indicated by the arrows XI-XI inFig. X; and

Fig. XII shows an additional alternative form of refrigerator generallyresembling the modification of' Fig. VIII.

Referring first to Figs. I-III, the form of prises a casing 4 made fromcork or a suitable thermo-insulating compositon with a chamber 5 thereinfor a block B of solid carbon dioxide or the like, as well as acomparatively larger chamber 6 for the articles or materials whlch areto be refrigerated. The chamber 5 is accessible from the top of thestructure through an opening 7 fitted with a removable lift cover 8. Therefrigerating chamber 6 is likewise accessible through a top opening 9which is closed by a lid 10 with a hinged connection at 11. In thepresent instance, the two chambers 5, 6 are defined by a box-like inset12 made from sheet metal to fit the hollow of the thermo insulate casing4 whereof the walls are amply thick to eiiiciently preclude thermallosses by radiation. In practice the chamber 5 is preferably made justlarge enough to conveniently hold acommercial size block B of therefrigerant, and to about half the depth of the refrigerating chamberv6.A

For convenience, the side walls 13, 14 of the metallic inset 12 may becommon to both the chambers 5, 6, said side Walls being of singlethickness throughout, as shown in Fig. III. The end Jwalls and bottom ofthe refrigerating chamber 6 are however made double and the thicknessesseparated by a substantial interval with provision'of coextensivecommunieating passages 15, 16, 17.

In the operation of the 'refrigerator of Figs. I-III, the coldheavier-than-air gas released incident to sublimation of the solidcarbon dioxide flows from the bottom of the chamber 5 through openings18 (Fig. II) in the outer portion of the contiguous end wall of therefrigerating chamber 6 into the passage 15, then downward in saidpassage, then horizontally -through the passage ,16 along the bottom ofthe chamber 6, and Afinally upward through the passage 17 in the myimproved refrigerator therein shown com- 'la 'i 19 in the innerthickness of the last 'mentioned end wall. As the gas descends in thechamber- 6 and passes about the articles or products therein, thermalinterchange takes place with rise of the stratas of the gas incidentallywarmed which find their way back into the chamber 5, through -alignedopenings 20, 21 in the two thicknesses constituting the left hand endwall of the chamber latter in the opposite side Walls 13, 14 and 6. Incontacting with the solid carbon dioxide block B, the returned warmedgas is obviously lowered in temperature and thereby prepared to .retracethe same vcourse which it had previously followed. A -continuouscirculation is in this way maintained within the refrigerator betweenthe chambers 5, 6 to the end that refrigeration is effected by theliberated gaseous carbon dioxide and not through direct influence of thesolid refrigerant itself, which, it will be noted, is isolated by virtueof interposition of the vertical gas ilow passage 15 between saidchambers. After the refrigerating process has proceed-l ed to the pointwhere the products within the chamber 6 take on the temperature of thevcold gas, the rate of circulation within the refrigerator naturallydecreases with maintenance of a uniformly cold more or less staticatmosphere about said products. This condition operates as a check onthe sublimation ofthe refrigerantand in turn greatly enhancestheeconomical-operation of the re- Concurrently with -the events,

frigerator. above related, a certain proportion of the gas in therefrigerating chamber 6 escapes through openings 22 near the bottom ofthe into clearances 23, 24 which are coextensive with said side walls,see Fig. III. From these clearances 23, 24 the gas eventually exhaustsinto the external atmosphere by way of grooves 25, 26 respectively inthe casing 4; and the hinged cover 10. By reason of this provision itwill be seen that, in addition to circulation of the gas between thechambers 5 and 6, a circulation is maintained around the side walls 13,'14 of the refrigerating chamber to cool them, as well as around theopposite end walls and bottom of said chamber. It -is' also important tonote that I the openings 22 are fewer in number and -smaller than theopenings 20, 21 so that most the insulating material from which they aremade.

The modification of Fig. IV is similar to the first described embodimentexcept as' to the provisions made for escape of the carbon .dioxide gasfrom the refrigerator. In this case outlets 26a are formed in the sidewalls of the insulate casing 4a near the top, which outlets, as shown,lead horizontally from the clearances 23a, 24a to the exterior and whichare defined by tubes 31 of glass or the like. SuchV construction assuresagainst possible clogging of the outlets through dismtegray tion of thecork or composition constituting the casing 4a. Here, as in thedescription of other modifications following, the parts which are notspecifically mentioned, but which correspond to those of the first em-fbodiment, are identified by the same reference numerals previouslyemployed with addition of different letters of the alphabet.

Fig. V shows an alternative form of metallic inset 12b in whichthe endand bottom walls of the chamber 5b are made doublewith incidentformationof a' passage 32 having communication with said chamber 5b near the topthrough apertures 33, said passage leading directly into the interval15b along the contiguous side wall of the refrigerating chamber 6bthrough a portt. Accordingly, gas liberated from the solid carbondioxide in the chamber 5b isobliged to pass first around said chamberbefore making its cir-` cuit about andV through the refrigeratingchamber 6b as in the first. embodiment.

Inthe modification of'Fig. VI, that portion of the outer Side wall ofthe refrigerating chamber 6c which is common' to the chamber 50 for therefrigerant, is fashioned from wire gauze or perforated metalconventionally indicated at 35. In all other respects the inset 120 islike the inset 12 of Figs. I-III as will be readily apparent bycomparison. The advantage of the present construction is that, by reasonof the greater number of openings in the partition 35, freer'circulationofA gas is permitted through the chamber 5'0 as is manifested by thearrows in Fig. VI, and clogging of the flow passages by shifting of thesolid carbon dioxide block as might happen in the `inset 12 of Fig. IIwhere the ports or-apertures 18, 21 are fewer in number, prevented.

In Fig; VII, the Chamber 5d fori-the Suid carbon dioxidel is lincludedwithin the conlines of the refrigerating chamber 6d to the end that theinset 12d is devoid of external projections. As shown, flow channels areformed around both chambers 5cl, 6d, and circulation of gas over thecourse indicated by the arrows is determined by the apertures 18d, 19d,20d, 21d and 22d in the partitioning. Figs. VIII and IX show amodification suitable to the refrigeration of fruits and the like wheredirect Contact of carbon dioxide gas-as in the previous embodiments withthe articles or products undergoing refrigeration-is prohibitive ifspoliation or discoloration is to be prevented. Accordingly, therefrigerating chamber 6e is entirely isolated from the chamber 5econtaining the solid carbon dioxide; and -channels 36, 37 are providedfor return of the gas after having traversed the hollow end wall 15e,and bottom 16e, and opposite end Wall In Figs. X and XI the returnchannels 23f,

Qlf are made coextensive in depth with the refrigerating y chamber Gf.construction and operation ofthis modification is exactly the same asthat described in connection with Figs. VII and VIII.

The modification of Fig. XII is suitable for household refrigerators andthe like in which, for the sake of convenience, access must be had tothe refrigerating chamber through a side doorlopening instead of fromthe top as in the other modifications of my invention.' T o this end,the top, bottom and ormosite end walls of .the chamber 6g are madehollow for circulation of the gas around it after the manner indicatedby the arrows. Excess gas is permitted to escape through a suitable vent26g in the cover 8g for the chamber 5g; and a tra-p 40 is provided atthe bottom of the unit for escape to the exterior of condensation of anywater vapor which may find its .way into said chamber.

.' It is of course to be understood that the chamber 5g may beconstructed with double sides and bottom as shown in Fig. V.

As exemplified herein,my invention is susceptible tol many variationsand vtherefore adaptable to any special requirements which must be metin practice. It is to be particu? larly remarked however that theprinciple of operation is the same in all the forms which have beendiscussed inv detail. Obviously the principle set forth may be embodiedin refrigerators which are portable for shipment of .perishablecommodities, as well as in refrigerators intended for domestic and otherpurposes. The appended claims are accordingly to be broadly construedwith the Aabove considerations in mind.

Having thus described myV invention, I claim:

1. In a refrigerator of the character described, a thermo insulatedcasing affording a chamber for solid carbon dioxide; a chamber for thearticles being refrigerated; passages determining fiow of the cold gaslib- Otherwise, the v erated incident to sublimation of the solid carbondioxide, down along one .end of the refrigerating chamber, across thebottom of the same and up along the opposite end previous to enteringsaid refrigerating chamber at the top for descent about the articles insaid refrigeraing chamber; and passages to conduct the gas from thebottom of said refrigerating chamber upward along the outer faces of itsopposite side walls before being permitted to escape from vtherefrigerator.

'2. In a refrigerator of the character described, a thermo-insulatedcasing aording a chamber for solid carbon dioxide; a cham- 'ber for thearticlesbeing refrigerated; passages determining circulation of the coldgas liberated incident to sublimation of the solid carbon dioxide,downward along one end of the refrigerating chamber, across the bottomand up the opposite end, then through said lrefrigera-ting chamber andbackj intothe chamber containing the refrigerant; and passages throughwhich proportionate amounts of the circulating gas are concurrentlycon,- ducted from near the bottom of the refrigerating chamber andupward along the outer faces of its opposite sides previous to releasefrom the refrigerator intothe outside atmosphere.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 13th day of July, 1929.

CHARLES E. BONINE.

